


light a candle

by peachsneakers



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders is a Little Shit, Fluff, Food, M/M, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, dukeceit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:15:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29186904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers
Summary: It's Janus's birthday!
Relationships: Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders
Comments: 16
Kudos: 104





	light a candle

"Jan Jan."

Janus groans, pushing his face further into the pillow and willing himself to slip back into dreams. It would be so...easy...

" _Jan_ -"

He mumbles something unintelligible, feeling a strand of saliva escape his mouth and dribble down his chin. His blankets soak him in warmth, a cocoon of comfort that whispers its siren song, louder than anything else.

" _J-ANUS!_ " Remus bellows in his ear, followed by Remus's tongue enthusiastically licking his cheek. Janus recoils, nearly falling off the bed to the tune of Remus's high-pitched giggles.

"What?" Janus asks in exasperation. He catches a glimpse of his alarm clock and cringes. "It's seven in the morning, Remus. What's so important you had to wake me up? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Remus dismisses with an airy flap of one hand. "It's your _birthday_ , Jan Jan."

"And?" Janus asks blankly. "My birthday present to myself was sleep."

"The others wanted me to get you up," Remus admits. "Patton made your favorite," he wheedles. "Chocolate chip waffles with whipped cream. Sounds gross to _me_ , but Patton wouldn't let me embellish it."

"Logan threatened you, didn't he," Janus guesses. Remus's cheeks flush red as he nods.

"Fine," Janus grumbles. "Only for waffles. You know how I feel about waffles."

"You wanna fu-" Remus starts before Janus claps a hand over his mouth.

"Apparently you do not know how I feel about waffles," Janus says, deadpan. Remus licks his palm, forcing Janus to un-silence him.

"All right," Janus says, stumbling out of bed. "Let me get dressed and I'll be right down." Since it is his birthday and he has no intention of foregoing comfort today, he opts for a slouchy yellow sweater instead of his usual outfit (though he keeps the pants because they're comfortably broken in by now and they make his ass look good, according to Remus). He smooths his gloves over his hands, fixing the wrinkles.

"Lead on," he says dryly. Remus, caught staring as Janus changes, doesn't even blush, just throws out a snappy salute and flings the door open.

The others are gathered around the kitchen table, the low murmur of conversation coaxing Janus and Remus closer. At his place, a magnificent stack of waffles already rests. There is a birthday candle stuck in the top one, although it hasn't been lit yet.

"Got him!" Remus cheerfully announces, shoving Janus in front of him.

"Um, hi," Janus says awkwardly. Even his ears feel hot.

"Janus!" Patton greets him warmly as he gets up, arms already outstretched in a hug. Janus endures the hug in stoic silence (pretending he doesn't at all love how soft Patton's hugs are, or the scent of clean laundry and chocolate chip cookies that wafts over his nose). "Happy birthday!"

"Thank you," Janus says. Roman looks up. His face is a little stiff, but his smile is genuine.

"Happy birthday," Roman says. "Patton made waffles!"

"Yeah, and we aren't allowed to touch 'em until you sit down," Virgil mumbles, curled up in his seat. "So sit down, snake boy."

"Your wish is my command," Janus says, but he sits down obediently. Logan smiles at him, and something soft and warm blossoms in his chest.

"Are we ready?" Patton asks, as Remus takes his seat next to Janus. "Let's go! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." As the others join in, Janus feels tears prickle his eyes. A year ago, he would have only celebrated his birthday with Remus. Which would have been fine, he adored spending time with Remus, but this...

This felt like so much _more_.

"Tuck in!" Patton announces, when the singing is over. He then stops still. "Wait! Oh gosh, I totally forgot."

"Gotcha covered, Pop Star," Virgil says, producing a lighter out of nowhere.

"Where did that even _come_ from?" Logan asks under his breath, eyeing the anxious side in bafflement. Virgil leans over and lights the candle jammed into the top of the waffle stack.

"Happy birthday, Janus," Virgil murmurs. Janus softens, feeling much like the steadily melting whipped cream.

"Make a wish!" Roman encourages.

_I wish that I could always be a part of the fam-ILY_ , Janus thinks, and blows out the candle, to scattered applause.

Little does he know, he's already gotten his wish.


End file.
